Are the Dallas Cowboys going to fire Jason Garrett now?

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 05: Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett reacts to a play in game action during a NFL game between the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys on December 05, 2019 in Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Quitting. It’s the ugliest word in the NFL. It’s what the Cowboys did on Thursday night.

Dallas lost 31-24 to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night. For the second time in as many weeks, the Cowboys played in primetime. For the second time, they didn’t both to show up.

Someone has to pay. Jason Garrett might be doing so in short order.

Garrett saw the Cowboys fall to 6-7 at Soldier Field. In any other division, they’d long be out of the race. In the NFC East, they remain in position to host a Wild Card game. Still, Dallas is 3-7 in its last 10 games. It hasn’t beaten a single team above .500.

The offense is listless. Dak Prescott has looked unprepared and unable to make throws he made throughout the first few months of the season. Defensively, tackles are suddenly rare and stops even more so. Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky are below-average, and both looked like Deshaun Watson against Dallas.

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For all the criticism thrown his way, Jones understands football. He and Jimmy Johnson built the Cowboys’ dynasty in the 1990s, and he knows he has a good roster. Dallas should be competing for the Super Bowl. Instead, it might lose the most embarrassing divisional race in football.

As former Cowboys quarterback and current broadcaster Troy AIkman pointed out on Thursday night’s telecast, Jones has an issue regarding Garrett. Even if he’s ready to move on immediately, who takes over? Kellen Moore is green and in his first year as the offensive coordinator. Kris Richard and Rod Marinelli are defensive assistants who could be candidates, but Marinelli went 0-16 with the Detroit Lions and Richard has never coached in the top spot.

None of that means Jones won’t make a change and hope for the best. It does mean he doesn’t have a great hand to play.

After being embarrassed by the Bills on Thanksgiving, Jones spoke to reporters about the potential for a miracle finish. If he wants one, the only way might be firing Garrett.